My Game, Monopoly
by AmusingChild
Summary: A ONESHOT about Serena and Darien and the game Monopoly. Please R


_My Game, Monopoly_

I can't believe it!

I just can not believe it! He had no right! Errrr... That man is so infuriating! I swear he cheated! That's the only way!

"Come on Sere, it's only a game." My loving boyfriend chided.

I huffed. Just a game! "It is not just a game." I spat, "How can you beat me at Monopoly EVERY time? It's scientifically impossible!" I huffed yet again and turned away from the coffee table and faced the television.

"Sere...Serena. Come on..." Darien, my oh-so-handsome boyfriend made his way around the table and threw his arm around me.

Okay. Okay. I know I'm being a little over-dramatic. But you don't understand. Monopoly is MY game. No one has EVER beaten me. He has beaten me _five_ times! Not my brother, or my mom or dad or my friends... NOBODY! I always win! It's the only game that I am good at!

As most stories go, this whole thing all started a few days ago when I fatefully went over to Darien's house for one of our dates...

FLASHBACK...

"Bye, Mom, I'll be at Darien's!" I called over my shoulder with my purse hanging from my hands and my very short skirt trailing behind me. I don't know what it is with me and short skirts, but I guess I've loved wearing them since...forever!

"Okay, be back before nine! Oh! And, honey? Have Darien drive you home! I don't want you walking home so late." My mother called from the kitchen. I could hear pans rattling in the kitchen… great maybe she will make pie for when I come home!

"See ya later, Mom!" I closed the door before my dad could put his two cents in. Sometimes my dad can be a _little_ over protective.

Fine, maybe A LOT over protective. And it's kinda starting to be really embarrassing.

About ten or so minutes later I arrived at Darien's place. A normally fifteen to twenty minute walk, but I was excited.

"Oh Darien!" I called out in a sing-song voice.

I knocked a few times on his doorway, until finally the door was thrown open and I ran into my beloved's arms, kissing his beautifully carved face. This man is a god.

"Hi Sere." He said with a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Heehee! I love it when you call me that!" I unattached myself from him and flopped onto his couch, turning on the TV while Darien made his way to the kitchen.

"Serena, are you hungry? I just restocked the fridge." He called over.

"Oh! Really?!" I yelled an enthusiastic hurray and ran into the kitchen to get something to eat.

The next few things that happen are irrelevant to the story so I'm going to skip ahead a few, um, thirty minutes.

I am now sitting on the couch, again, with an ice pack on my head watching the news (I have yet had a chance to change the channel). Darien leaned over and picked the ice pack off my head.

"Well, Sere, it looks like the swelling is going down some. You should really be more careful where you are going. You're going to break that head of yours someday." He gently scolded.

I glared at him, "Well, someone should have told me that they bought a new plant and placed it conveniently in my way, before I got to know it personally."

He didn't reply, instead he gently kissed my head and went back into the kitchen to clean up the dirt.

I leaned into the leather couch and put the ice pack back on top of my head.

Darien called from the kitchen, "So, Serena, what do you want to do tonight?"

I thought this over for a minute. We had been watching a lot of movies lately where we could cuddle up than I would never get to see the end of them because I would always fall asleep in the first half hour of the movie. So not movies… What else is there to do? Suddenly the perfect idea came to mind. It will be sweet revenge for buying the plant that almost cost me my life and completely bringing out the worst side of me... heh heh heh (evil laugh)...

"Oh, Darien!" Me back to my sing song voice, "How about we play a game?" I grinned.

"Okay, what do you want to play?" His head popped out from the kitchen and I turned to look at him.

"What kind of games do you have?" I asked, my sweet and innocent look now masking my evil grin.

"I'm not sure. Look on the top shelf in the coat closet, I think I have a few board games in there." He then went back into the kitchen, to continue sweeping.

I skipped over to the hallway and opened the closet. It was so neat and organized. I hope this man doesn't EVER see my room. I then looked up. _Yatzee, Bingo, Taboo…_ I saw my prize... Yes, that's right , Monopoly.

For some reason, I have always won that game. As I have stated earlier for those of you who weren't listening, no one has ever beaten me. And I mean no one. I figured that if I win this, I will feel better about the little klutz attack in the kitchen and get to brag that I have beaten my boyfriend in a very challenging game wit and smarts and a ton of luck. _Yes! Yes! Yes!_

Okay, I'm calm now.

Of course, I'm not calm enough to hide the slight grin that is plastered onto my face right at this moment.

"So what have you got?" Darien asked while sitting on the ground in front of the coffee table, leaning up against the couch.

Oh my so, so innocent boyfriend, you won't know what's coming.

I reach up to get it and, to my dismay, I'm too short. I'm just able to get a small box and pull it forward and try to take that one down.

Darien, noticing my predicament, asked, "Serena, do you need some help?"

"No I'm Fi—AH!"

"Oww!" I cried out. Well, what do you expect? I just survived an avalanche of boxes! Of course it's going to hurt!

I had a few tears in my eye as I dug my way out, to come out of it face-to-face with my loving boyfriend.

"Serena, are you okay?" My boyfriend is so concerned, I love it when he makes that face that says "are you okay, my love?" It sends goose bumps up and down my spine.

Of course at the time all I could make out was, "Ouch!" I moaned.

Darien got the rest of the boxes off of me and helped me to my feet. "Serena, you're going to really hurt yourself one day."

That did it, I was crying now. Great, my lovely klutziness is going to be the end of me. You don't tell you're girlfriend that! Especially when the certain girlfriend might have a concussion.

"Oh, Serena. Shh..." He held me and kissed away a few of my tears. Okay, so now you're probably thinking that after that display of affection, I would have given up on my vision for revenge and victory. Ha!

"Darien, can we still play Monopoly?" I asked sweetly. My tears fading away.

"Uh, sure." He stuttered, slightly taken aback by my mood swing, "Go sit down and set it up, and I'll...(gulp)...clean up this mess."

About two hours later...

It was down to one roll. If I roll a five or three, and even a four for that matter (damn income tax space), I'm screwed. I can not believe it has all comes down to this. Never have I been this close to losing. Okay, Serena, breath, just don't land on Broadway or Park Place. How the man managed to get a hold of those places is beyond me. Usually I am the one with the hotels and stuff. I am not the one fighting for my life to win!

I shook the dice and let them roll. I can hear my heartbeat pound in anticipation. Ba-bum. Ba-bam. A-a-a FIVE?

"No!" I screamed. I can't believe I lost! No! I won't believe it.

"Serena? Are you alright?" I stared dazedly at the game board. I lost. I lost. I lost!

"Serena?" He leaned over the table and shook my shoulders. "Serena?"

I snapped back into reality. "Darien?" I stared at him dumbly.

"Okay, Sere, it's time to go home now. I'm going to go drive you home okay?" He stood up and walked around the table to come help me stand up.

I snapped back into reality. My confused state was now clouded with anger. Anger at the man who dared to steal my title.

"Darien, that won't be necessary, I will be walking myself home tonight." I stood up with all authority, ignoring his out stretched hand and made my way to the doorway.

"Serena, you can't go out there alone. It's dark outside."

"I don't care." What was I twelve? I was now in the process of opening the door when he grabbed my arm, then half dragged me to his car.

"Darien! I told you I don't need a ride!" I glared at him.

"Sere, I'm not going to let you walk home by yourself." Five minutes later we were in the parking lot and he was helping me into his car.

I sat down, still angered at the thought of him winning, I know I'm a stubborn ass, but you know what? I don't give a care! You have to understand this is the only thing that I am good at. I'm proud of being good at it! And now my boyfriend has taken that away from me! This is _humiliating!_

I had the sudden urge to bang my head at the window, but I think that it would have confirmed Darien's suspicions that I was indeed crazy. How he hasn't figured THAT out yet, I will never know.

After about seven minutes I was home... Let me rephrase that...After seven LONG minutes of Darien trying to get me to talk and failing miserably, I finally arrived home. I quickly got out of the car trying to avoid any goodbye from Darien (cough-kiss-cough), but, unfortunately (or fortunately to all those romance lovers out there), I wasn't quick enough and he grabbed my hand pulling my back to my seat. "Serena, don't stay mad at me okay? I'm sorry for whatever I did." Aww, the poor guy didn't know why I was angry with him. He then put his lips to my hand and kissed them. "Good night, princess." I forgot about my anger at that moment and kissed him, full on the lips. My hands reached for behind his head to pull his face towards mine.

Darien responded and I was just going to open my mouth when I heard a knock on the doorway. Did I say knock? I meant a loud banging, that could only belong to my father.

Oi vey...

The next day, I came back to Darien's apartment, and came back the day after and the day after that. Each time getting sorely defeated. As you can see, I'm very dedicated to my Monopoly title.

END FLASH BACK

Obviously, that frustration has NOT gone away.

Darien was now staring at, as if trying to figure out what was going through my meatball-headed brain. I heard a soft sigh and the warmth of my boyfriend left me as he stood up. "Serena, you're getting all upset over a game. It's just a game okay. Now I am going to take you home and I'll see you tomorrow."

When there wasn't any signs of movement on my part, he towered over me and picked me up. I squeaked at the sudden weightlessness. He then threw me over his shoulders like Tarzan and we left the apartment.

I hate being carried that way.

"Darien, if you value your life you put me down this instant!" I huffed. "Darien?"

His only response was a sight pinch on my bottom. I let out a small yelp, before finally setting myself to a more comfortable position on his shoulder.

After waiting a few moments for the elevator, he unceremoniously dropped me off inside and the doors closed behind us. He pressed the number that led to the car garage.

I struggled to stand up. "Darien, don't you dare throw me over your shoulders again when these doors open, I promise to make my way to your car without trouble, okay?"

He glanced at me and gave me his oh-so-infamous smirk. That same smirk that sent me steaming home cursing the gods for ever creating such a creature when we first met.

I glared back and turned away.

Finally we hit the basement. He did not pick me up, much to my relief and helped me into his car. There was a comfortable silence that filled the car as we both listened to the radio. We got to my house and I gave him a kiss on the cheek before getting out of the car. A plan beginning to form in my head.

The next day, I got up bright and early.

What do you mean you don't believe me? I can get up at eight if I really wanted to!

Okay fine it was eleven, but that's earlier than I usually get up!

So, anyway, I was up.

After eating breakfast and doing other morning routine-like things, I was out the door and headed to the Tokyo strip.

Walking as gracefully down the street as I possibly could (which is saying a lot, only tripped twice. Woot! Woot!) I spied the store I was looking for.

C.U.R. Future.

The place itself was small, mysterious, and was in a desperate need of an air freshener. I remembered passing by it on a recent window shopping adventure.

Looking around I noticed an overall theme of red. Red silks, red scarves, red bottles, red pillows... anyway, you get the picture. Oh, wait, I think I see maroon.

Sitting myself at the table with the crystal ball, I waited patiently for what I hope to be a fortuneteller, or at least a person who at least looked like a salesperson.

Dum de dum...

Hmm... I wonder what's taking the fortuneteller so long?

Finally I hear a woman's voice coming from the back of the store. "Deary, if you want to get your fortune told, I suggest coming back here. Where you are sitting at is merchandise."

Startled, I jumped. Then proceeded to turn a deep red after seeing the "For Sale" sign placed in front of me on the table.

Oh, silly me.

Hiding my embarrassment in giggles, I walked to where the voice was coming from. Which evidently led to a door labeled "Fortuneteller" and under that "Proceed if you want to learn of your future." Oh. Of course...

I entered the dark, candlelit room, which was across from a dark-haired woman at a similar looking table and glass globe.

The woman was dressed in, surprise, red. And this time, I could see why. The color suited her fantastically. It brought out her eyes. Made her look like a gypsy from Spain.

"What is it that you wish of me, dear soul?" Her voice bounced off the walls with a mystifying affect. It sent chills down my spine, it was either that or the fact that it was absolutely freezing in here.

I cleared my throat of the dryness that happened to form in my throat in the few seconds I was in there.

"Well, great... ah... seer, you see..."

"Silence!" she said in a sharp hushed tone, "I know why you are here. It is because of a boy... am I correct?" She moved her hands over the crystal ball.

"...I ... Yes, actually. But I just needed to know if I am turning unlucky is all... you see..."

"The boy, who is no doubt your boyfriend is causing you to question yourself." She said it as if it were a well-known fact.

My eyes opened in wonder. "Yes! Yes! That's correct! How did you know?" Serena, you stupid...fortuneteller ring a bell?

"I see all and tell all, young soul." She said it plainly.

"What should I do?" I said desperately, this girl knows what she's doing!

"Dear soul, take this potion, It is a serum for truth and luck, with a little bit of knowledge. It will give you the strength to accomplish the task that is set ahead of you." She handed over a bottle that smelled of peppermints and lavender to me. "That will be $27.50 plus tax, by the way."

Exiting, I quickly handed her the money, of course right after bowing deeply to the wise woman and saying thank you quite a number of times.

Making a beeline to my house I quickly read the directions on the bottle. Of course there were those few pedestrians who just happened to not be looking where they were going and decided to bump into me, making me almost drop the bottle… how rude!

Of course Darien just HAD to be one of them. "Serena?"

Startled, I looked up to meet the eyes of my gorgeous boyfriend. Quickly realizing that I was holding a luck potion (that I happened to spend all of my allowance on) I quickly hid it behind my back, as nonchalantly as I could managed... I have to tell everyone now that it didn't work out so well, especially since the bottle was the size of my hand.

"Darien! What a surprise! What are you doing here? Hee hee!" Please don't notice the bottle, PLEASE don't notice the bottle... Why do I always giggle when I lie?

"Serena? What's that behind your back?" He tried to look behind me, which wasn't so hard considering that he was a good head and a half taller then me.

"N-Nothing, (insert nervous giggle) It-It's nothing. Well, Darien, it was nice seeing you, I really have to go, is it alright if I come over again tonight?" He barely opened his mouth before I started talking again. "It is? Great! I will see you around eight! Bye!" Giving him a kiss on the cheek, I quickly headed into the opposite direction. I disappeared in a cloud of dust.

Later that night, after drinking the potion, (which by the way left me feeling a little sick, but was able to get over quickly) I headed over to his house.

"Darien!" Buzz buzz... "Darien!" I stood there knocking and buzzing the doorbell. I know how much he dislikes that, but he seriously takes too long in my point of view.

"Keep it down Meatball head, before you have the noise control police squad here." He quickly ushered me inside.

"I was not THAT loud." I retorted.

Darien gave me a look, and quickly sat down on the sofa, going back to whatever TV show he was watching before I arrived.

Gee, glad I am so interesting.

I quietly sat on the couch next to him to see what he was watching.

Hm... So... What's a string theory?

"Darien, what in the world are you watching?" I asked sweetly.

"A documentary on a theory called the string theory. Scientists believe these could be the smallest particle known to man, that everything is made from these tiny strings, which create dimensions..."

BORING! Why couldn't my boyfriend just watch sports? Or anime! That is even better. Seeing as my boyfriend was STILL going on and on about whatever it was, I silenced him the best way I could.

I kissed him.

I told you it was the best way. So after a few minutes, where I was repositioned on his lap, I broke the kiss.

"What was that for?" He said quietly.

"Oh that was to shut you up, darling." I smiled pleasantly.

He then proceeded to tickle me mercilessly.

"UNCLE! UNCLE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs in between loud spouts of laughter.

Finally he let go and I took a few moments to catch my breath. Okay, time to get down to business. Monopoly. I stood up and went to the closet. Darien, noticing I was missing, came up from behind me.

"Serena, you are not doing what I think you are doing. Are you?" He said.

Looking at him innocently, I replied. "Maybe." I added an extra smile to spice it up.

"Serena, we've played monopoly every day you have been here for the past week! Don't you want to play something else?" My poor sweet and ever-caring boyfriend asked.

"But I like Monopoly!" Focus, Serena! You may have to resort to the secret weapon.

"I've realized that, but there comes a point where I have to draw a line." Poor Darien. He seems so resolute in his answer.

Okay, I didn't want to resort to this but when it comes down to it, I NEED to win this game. That and I just so did not just waste my allowance for nothing! I looked straight into his eyes and pouted. I even got some good tears going. "Alright then. I get it. We can do (sniff) something else if you are that bored with playing with me." I said it very softly. I know it was cruel, but I was quickly running out of options.

"Serena, we can play a game, just not this one. Here's Scrabble, I'll go set it up okay?" He said.

Scrabble? Is he serious? Has he seen my last vocabulary test? "NO! We need to play Monopoly!" I cried out. "Please! Just one more game! I need to win this game so I can get my money's worth of the potion I bought!" I cried... Oh...crap. I was NOT supposed to say that.

"Serena, what potion?" He asked.

"The potion that the fortuneteller sold to me." I gasped and flew my hand to my mouth. SHUT UP MOUTH!

"How much did you spend on it?" He asked, curious.

"Twenty-seven, fifty." I mumbled through my hands. Why am I saying all these things.

"Serena! That's all of your allowance!" He scolded.

I shrank... "I know...

"What was the potion for?"

"Luck, strength... and... um... oh yeah!" _Oh yeah..._ "Truth." My face dawned with realization.

"Why would you need those things?" He went over into the living room.

"Well, I wanted to beat you in Monopoly. It's one of the only things I am good at and... I just wanted to be good at it again." That and for revenge on you for that stupid plant…

"But you're good at a lot of things." He said.

"Yeah? Like what?" I said interested.

"Well..." He paused. Gee don't think about it too hard, you may hurt yourself. "You are the fastest runner I know." He said, evidently coming up with an idea. "Um, you are the only one who can eat as fast as you do and still want seconds servings." Huh? "You are good at making friends, which is a really big one, because not a lot of people are comfortable about meeting new people and opening up to them. It's why I fell in love with you... among other things..."

I smiled. I liked the last one. "Oh, Darien. Thank you. I think that was the sweetest thing anyone has ever told me." I went up and hugged him.

"What do you want to do now?" He asked.

"I kinda wanna play Monopoly."

"Serena..."

"Hey! I paid 27.50 for that bottle of luck, I sure as hell better see if it actually works." I poked my finger into his chest.

"Fine, but this is the last game." Darien said.

"Okay!"

Let the games begin!


End file.
